HomeWorks job training program has noble intentions, troubling results

The HomeWorks program has noble intentions but, unfortunately, has created troubling results.

Run by Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, the "pre-apprenticeship" program is supposed to provide training and on-the-job experience for people — mainly those with criminal records — who want to become carpenters. Theoretically, participants would participate in a mix of classroom sessions on basic math and safety protocols and 30 hours a week of real work experience at $10 an hour. 

The pilot program was funded with $167,000 in taxpayer money from Department of Labor and $100,000 from the Criminal Justice Council.

In practice, a News Journal investigation has found, participants are spending much of the time that is supposed to be for teaching doing construction work — and they are not getting paid for it. That is an apparent violation of labor law, not to mention an unfair bait-and-switch.

"It was supposed to be a great thing, and they just used me," said participant Eric Mundy.

We can't say it any better.

HomeWorks' flaws are particularly disappointing because the goal it is trying to achieve is so worthy.

Delaware has one of the highest recidivism rates in America. That drains taxpayer money from more productive purposes, like education, public safety and health care, and it has contributed to dangerous overcrowding in Delaware's prisons.

Advocates and experts repeatedly point to a lack of training and job opportunities for ex-offenders as a reason for recidivism. Without a path to make an honest living, many end up returning the criminal activity that first landed them in jail.

Delaware could use good, hands-on job training. But state officials should make absolutely sure that money for job training is being used ethically, lawfully and effectively — and that didn't happen in this case.

It's entirely possible that the folks who manage Homeworks had the best intentions but didn't know they were breaking the rules. That's no excuse. 

To his credit, Secretary of Labor Cerron Cade has forthrightly acknowledged the problem.

“Are we disappointed that it may be a case where somebody violated the law, violated our trust and the trust of our customers? Absolutely," Cade said. "It’s completely disheartening."

We hope that Cade — who was only confirmed to his position three months ago — and his team will seriously investigate what went wrong at HomeWorks. If any laws were broken, the managers should be held accountable; at minimum, the program needs to be cleaned up or shut down.

Then, the department should take a broader look at how the department selects and monitors the programs to which it gives grant money. Participants deserve to be protected, and taxpayers deserve to know their money is being well spent.

The News Journal's editorial opinions are decided by its editorial board, which is separate from the news staff.